whiteside



3 SheetsShee.t 1.

(No Model.)

S. B. WHITESIDE. VENDING APPARATUS.

No. 465,908. Patented Dec. 29, 1891;

; lT/VESSES:

(No Model.)

WITNESSES.

v3 Sheets--Sheet 2. S. B. WHITESIDE.

VENDING APPARATUS. v

Patented Dec. 29, 1891. i

ATTORNEYS.

m: uanms versus an. vmmrumcl, msmnm'cn, n. c.

(No Model.)

3'Sheets-Sheet 3. S. B. WHITESIDE.

VENDING APPARATUS.

if; Arm/awn! Patented Dec. 29, 1891.

III

"mi NORRIS pawns cm. vuofmufnm, WASHNGTSN, n. c.

V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY RIVIIITESIDE, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE POSTAGE STAMP SERVICE MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

VENDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 465,908, dated December 29, 1891.

Q I Application filed April 10, 1891. Serial No. 383.381. (N model.)

To all whom it nmyconcern:

Be itknown that I, SIDNEY B. WHITESIDE, a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improved Vending Apparatus, of which the following is a specification,reference'being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in secto tion, of myimprovedvendingapparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the interior mechanism of my apparatus on the plane of the line 3 3, Fig.4. Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. v Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on the line 6 6, Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line7 7,Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of my mechanism on the line 8 S, Fig. 4. Figs. 9 and 10 are cross-sections on the lines 9 9 and 10 10, Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is atop View of one of the stamp-containing cases, which may be used in my machine, and Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the reciprocating delivery-slide.

My invention relates to an improved ma chine for selling stamps, and distributing coins, packages, advertisements, or the like 0 on the introduction of a suitable coin, and

may be used inconnection with a stamp-delivery apparatus of the kind described in my patent, No. 446,495, of February 17, 1891, and in my application for patent, bearing Serial 5 No. 379,371, filed January 28, 1891; and it consistsin the improved combination and arrange ment of parts, hereinafter fully described.

The object of my invention is to construct a machine whereby stamps or thelike maybe sold, and at the same time the proper amount of change returned togetherwith,-if desired,

a small advertisement in the shape of a card,

disk, or the like, all to operate after the insertion of a coin of the proper denomination. 5 In the accompanying drawings, the letter A represents the outercasiiig of my improved machine, which is of any desired form, and which at any proper point may have the opening a, (see Fig. 1') for the introduction of a coin 2, which strikes against a lever C, causing it to move on its pivot Z thereby releasing the mechanism by which the stamp and change are expelled, as hereinafter explained. The lever C has an arm d, which bears against a cam D, carried by the crank-shaft E. The lever C is hung on the pivot b, so that the end 6, being the lightest end of the lever, is normally held in the raised position shown in Fig. 5, whereby a stop j on said lever Wlll present itself in front of the cam D at the end 6 of every revolution of the shaft E. hen the coin 2 is introduced into the slot a it falls against the end 6 of the lever C, thereby depressing the same and causing the stop f to retire from in front of the cam D. The shaft 6 E can then be revolved, thereby moving the cam D over the stop fand away from the arm d of the lever C. This allows the coin 2 to depress still farther the end 6 of the lever until the coin slips by said lever and falls into a suitable tray or to the bottom of the case. The lever now drops back, or, should it not, the cam D by contact with the leverarm (1 will force it back into the original position, and thereby bring the stop f again in thetrack of the cam, checking the same until it is again released by the introduction of another coin. Vhen the cam D is released, the shaft E may be rotated either by a handle B or any other suitable means. The

' shaft E formsa cylindrical enlargement F re cessed,'as shown in Fig.8, so that apin G may be introduced from the end opposite the crank end of the shaft E and have two bearings g and h in said recessed enlargement. This pin Gr is riveted or otherwise securely fastened to the frame 2', that supports the inner mechanism, so that it will not rotate with the enlargement F. Upon this pin G is keyed another-smaller flanged cylindrical body H, go as shown in Fig. 8. The object of this cylinder H is hereinafter explained.

Upon the shaft E is carried a gear-wheel I, which meshes with a gear-wheel J, carried on an arbor K, to which arbor is fixed a fri ction- 5 roller '11 of rubber or analogous material. Adjacent to this roller M is another roller L, preferably of rubber, on an arbor Q. The arbors Q and K are geared together,-as at p.

Directly below the stationary flanged cyl- I00 inder or body II is placed a similar flanged roller- N of substantially the shape of the cylinder ll. This roller is held in a suitable frame I and pressed upward by a spring B, Fig. 3, against the stationary body II. As the shaft E is revolved the thin part 7.: of the cylindrical enlargement F, which revolves around the stationary body H, passes between II and the roller N, depressing for a certain interval in every revolution and at the same time revolving the roller N. A strip of stamps, preferably doubled together with a thin sheet of oiled paper interposed, has previously been placed in close proximity between the block H and roller N, as indicated by the letter S, Figs. 1, f2, 3, 4-, and 6. As the portion 7; of the shaft F passes between the block II and roller N, it depresses the roller N, and at the same time contacts with the stamps and forces them ahead toward the friction-rollers L and M until the part 7a of the shaft F ceases to depress the roller N, which then rises by the influence of the spring R and grips the strip of stamps between it and the body l-I. Additional wires 8 8 may be used, as shown in Figs. 3, l, and G, to insure a firmer grip upon the stamp. These wires when used are secured to the frame 1' and curved over the roller N and crease the stamps S. The stamps are now in the grasp of the rollers L and M, and a cutter or knife T is then depressed by the action of cams on on shaft E, (see Figs. l, 6, S, and 0,) thereby cutting the stamp at the perforation. The knife T, as clearly shown in Fig. 4:, is the central memberof a U-shaped frame, which is pivoted at n a to the frame 2?. One arm of this U-shaped cutter-frame extends beyond the pivot 11 and under a spring U, which keeps the knife in the elevated position (shown in Fig. 3) until the cams on depress the arms of the cutter. The cutter in descending passes near the edge of a stationary platform 6, on which the stamps rest, thereby facilitating the separation. The mechanism is previously adjusted, so that one rotation of the shaft E will cause the stamps to move forward, in the manner above described, just one stamps' length, and the stamps are so placed between the rollers that when the knife T is depressed it cuts off the desired length. After the cutting, the separated stamp or stamps will be moved forward by the rollers L M until they are discharged into the exterior tray V. At the time this occurs the remaining stamps in the machine stand still.

It will be seen that when the mechanism is ready for operation the end of the strip of stamps is directly under the cutting-blade T,

which at that time is elevated. If at any time it is desirous to readjust the position of the strip of stamps, a lever \V, which may be easily accessible and which projects from or bears upon the roller-frame P, may be depressed, thereby separating the roller N and block ll, and allowing the stamps to be freely moved forward or backward. The wire guides 3 (see Figs. 3, 4, and (3) may be supplied to more readily assure the direction of the stamps and to more firmly secure the stamps from being pulled between the rollers.

X is a gear-wheel carried by the shaft E, preferably outside of the frame-work i. This gear-wheel meshes with another gear-wheel Y, which rotates the perforated disk Z. This disk Z takes and discharges from one or more tubes Z" coins or other packages or pasteboard disks, each containing, if desired, a printed advertisement, the. I will not explain this feature in detail, as it is substantially what is described in my application, Scrial No. 379,371, filed January 28, 1891.

hat I do desire to further describe is another device in combination with what I have specified, whereby an additional package-for instance, a small metal case-which may contain stamps or thelike, (see Fig. 11,) will be discharged with every revolution of the shaft E. Directly above the disk Z are two upright tubes of any desired form A A. Below these is a bottom plate B, Fig. 0, which partially-preferably over halfcloses the opening of each tube. Above this bottom plate B is a perforated slideD, Figs. 6, 7, and 12, which intervenes between the packages in each tube A and the bottomplate B. If the slide D is reciprocated back the packagecontained in one of the tubes A will enter the perforation in said slide and rest on thebottom plate B until the slide is moved along and carries the package directly over the hole in the bottom plate B, whereupon the package drops into any suitable chute, and thence into the exterior tray V. Each stroke of the slide D takes one package from one of the tubes A, and at the same time a package is also discharged from one of the tubes Z The slide D is moved in the following manner: A wheel E may be frictionally or by teeth at the edge rotated by the revolving disk Z. To the wheel E is secured acrank-pin F, which is carried in a circle by the rotation of the wheel E and which passes through a slot of the slide D, so that the circular movement of the pin is transform edinto a rectilinear movement of the slide D, as can be readily understood. The shaft E should be supplied with a ratchet-wheel H and the frame 5 with the pawl 7t, which will prevent the shaft E from being turned in the wrong direction. The stamps are fed froma spool I, Fig. 1, or may be put in the case, as shown by Fig. 11, thereby doing away with the spool altogether. A slight tension may be supplied to the stampspool to prevent the uncalled for unrolling of the stamp-strip. This tension may be supplied by the spring t" bearing against the side of the spool I, Fig. 1, or by the spring 7;, bearing against the strip of stamps.

Among the many advantages of my improved vending apparatus may be specified the following:

I am enabled by means of this apparatus to sell three different kinds of packages or merchandise at the same time-that is to say, one set of packages from the tubes Z one IIO set from the tubes A, and one set from the spool I; and I am also enabled, if I dispense with the spool, to sell simultaneously two different sets of packages from the tubes A and Z Anotheradvantage is that when a spool is employed, the tension upon the strip of stamps can be relaxed for adjusting the strip in the feeding apparatus by the use of the lever V.

Other advantages respecting the character of the feed from the spool result from the employment of the recessed enlargement F of the shaft E, said recessed enlargement forming the feed portion 7;, which,when in contact with the roller i feeds the strip of stamps along, but which, when out of contact with the roller N, causes the block H to bear against the roller N, and thus prevents any feeding of the stamp at that time, permitting, however, the detached portion of the stamp which was separated by the cutter to be fed along by the rollers L and M. The action of the knife T, being positive in manner described, is also superior to the use of a stationary detaching-blade, as has heretofore been suggested for such purposes in analogous machines.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vending apparatus, the combination of a tube or tubes Z with the perforated disk Z below the same, and mechanism, substantially as described, for turning said disk, and

with the tube or tubes A, perforated slide D below the same, and means for reciprocat ing said slide, all arranged substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, in a vending apparatus, of the tube or tubes Z the perforated disk Z below the same, tube or tubes -A, perforated slide D' below the same, and stampspool I, and means, substantially as described, for feeding the stamps from said spool, all arranged for delivering merchandise from each of said three receptacles, as specified.

3. The combination of the tube or tubes Z perforated disk Z, tube or tubes. A, perforated slide D,toothed-wheel E, having crankpin F and gearing with the disk Z, and means, substantially as described, for turning said disk, all as specified.

4. In a vending apparatus, the combinatio of the lever 0, having cam-stopf, and arm d, with the crank-shaft E, having cam D, adapted to be located between the stop f and the arm (1, and with the coin-chute a, all arranged so that the contact of the cam D with the arm (Z shall raise the coin-receiving end of said lever, substantially as herein shown and de scribed. v

5. The combination of the reel 1, with the spring-pressed roller N in its movable frame P, with the shaft E, having recessed portion F, and fixed pin G, carrying block H, a thin portion 713 of the recessed portion F of the shaft E being in alignment with the stationary block H, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

6. The combination'of the feed-rollerN and rotating counter-feed piece K, adapted to bear upon the roller N, with the frame P, in which the roller N has its bearing, spring R, and with the lever V for depressing the roller N, substantially as herein shown and described.

'7. The combination of the reel 1 and suitable feed-rollers N and F, with the U-shaped cutter-frame T, whose central member constitutes a cutter in front of said feed-rollers, and with the shaft E, having cam m for depressing said cutter-frame and spring N for raising it, all arranged substantially as described.

8'. The combination of the reel 1' and suitable feed-rollers N and F, with the U-shaped cutter-frame T, whose central member constitutes a cutter in front of said feed-rollers, and with the shaft E, having cam in for depressing said cutter-frame and spring U for raising it, and with the outer feed-rollers L and M, substantially as herein shown and described.

9. The combination of the shaft E, having toothed-wheel I and recessed portion F, with feed-piece k thereon, and stationary spindle G, carrying stationary block H, with the spring-pressed feed-roller N, U-shaped cutter-frame T, and means, substantially as described, for raising and lowering the same, and with the feed-rollers L M and with the toothed wheel J on the feed-roller M, all substantially as herein shown and described.

19. The combination of the shaft E, having recessed portion F and forming the feed-sub face 70, with the stationary pin G, stationary block H, spring-pressed feed-roller N,and with the curved wires 3 s, all arranged for operation substantially as herein shown and .described.

1].. The combination, in a stamp-vending apparatus, of the actuating shaft E, and means, substantially as described, for throwing the same into action by the introduction of the coin withthe stamp-reel 1, means, substantially as described, for feeding the stampstrip forward and unwinding it from said reel, and with the cam-actuated cutter-frame T and the outer feed-rollers L M, substantially as herein shown and described.

SIDNEY B. WHITESIDE. \Vi tnesses:

HARRY M. TURK, GUsTAv SCHNEPPE. 

